Beyond the Frat House: 50 College Clubs for the Non-Joiner

It’s a new school year and for incoming college students, a new beginning. While the idea of a fresh start is inherently exciting, finding your place within a vast and unfamiliar environment can be juuust a little intimidating. The good news is, whatever you’re into (no matter how weird, wild, or different) there are bound to be others out there that share in your dreams and passions. We rounded up fifty of the oddest, specialized and maybe coolest college clubs from schools across the country to prove it. Whether you like to spend your free time walking on your hands or carving figurines out of soap bars, there’s a club out there for you!

If Ron Swanson is your spirit animal:

If you feel that the campus cafeteria offerings lack that flame-broiled, lip-smacking tastiness, the University of Alabama has a BBQ Club in which students can take matters into their own hands (and onto their own grills).

If you prefer to stay within the lines:

The students at the University of Alaska – Fairbanks are embracing the adult coloring craze that’s sweeping the nation. Join the Coloring Club to relax and improve your focus while also creating unique artwork to paste all over your dorm room walls.

Celebrate your inner wizard:

While it’s unlikely that magic tricks will help you ace your midterms, you can practice your slight of hand as a member of the University of Arizona’s in-house magic and illusion team, the Magic Cats.

For Time Lords:

Fans of Dr. Who, the time-bending British television drama, will be a among friends at Arkansas State University, where a club called Whovians United is dedicated to discussing the show’s 826 (and counting) episodes.

If you’re a Jugger-naut:

Jugger, a team sport that draws elements from capture the flag and rugby, came into existence as a result of the 1989 cult film The Salute of the Jugger. Everyone from established Jugger-nauts to those who are just little curious can join The Juggers of the Seven Regents at the University of California - Berkeley.

Like being upside down?

Whether you want to take your yoga practice to the next level or simply enjoy a rush of blood to the head, the Hand Balancing Club at the University of Colorado - Boulder welcomes anyone looking to master the art of the handstand.

For pyromaniacs with excellent motor skills:

There is a group called Prometheus: Fire Arts and Performance at Wesleyan University, which puts specializes in showcasing "object manipulation and the fire arts." While it sounds like a metaphorical blast, leave your flammables at home to avoid a real one.

For gamers with rhythm:

If your favorite part of playing Mario Kart is listening to the tunes, then check out the 8-Bit Orchestra at the University of Delaware, a group dedicated to performing music from video games.

For the most nimble:

Those who possess a knack for theatricality and an excellent sense of balance will likely fare well in Objects in Motion at the University of Florida. The club unites practitioners of unicycling and object manipulation (like poi and juggling).

For athletes who enjoy a good mashup:

Love hockey but hate the idea of spending your free time on dry land? Try joining the Swordfish Underwater Hockey Club at Georgia Tech, which describes itself as "a six versus six game of hockey with snorkeling equipment in the pool.”

For ‘anaconda’ enthusiasts:

If you worship the royalty that is Nicki Minaj, consider joining The Queen Nicki Minaj Fanclub at the University of Hawai’i - Manoa. They've got that Super Bass.

For the dazed and confused:

The Slackers at Boise State University are more than just a group of people who procrastinate writing papers; according to the school’s website, they “promote balance in all aspects of [their] lives.”

Calling all survivors:

When The Walking Dead comes to life, you can be sure that the Zombie Readiness Task Force at the University of Chicago will be prepared to lead us in the fight for survival.

If your Patronus is a mole:

Students at Indiana University who prefer spelunking to sorority shindigs can find like-minded individuals in the school’s Caving Club.

Looking to sharpen your PUN-cil?

Grinnell College’s Pun Club promises to be a haven for wacky wordsmiths who want to channel their energies into what the school’s website refers to as “PROSE sports.”

For wheeler-dealers:

If you’re always feeling like you move too fast for your friends to keep up, join the Longboard Club at Kansas State University so you can socialize in motion.

For a different kind of anaconda enthusiast:

The MSU Herpetology Society studies the physiology of amphibians and reptiles, among other things; it promises to be a fascinating pastime for anyone who is not a herpetophobe.* *one who fears amphibians and reptiles

For the bold and bendy:

If you find yourself constantly having to choose between practicing yoga and doing acrobatics, the Acroyoga Club at the University of New Orleans is the solution to all your problems (or, you know, just the ones associated with the whole yoga/acrobatics thing).

If you can’t get through this list without… ZZZZzzzzzzz

You might think that meetings of the Napping Club at Colby College are just long, scheduled naps, but the school’s website mentions that the group is “discussion based” and focused on encouraging “proper napping techniques.” Hopefully members find ample time to put those techniques into practice.

Barden Bellas rejects unite:

The University of Maryland - College Park has a club for Pitch Perfect fans who lack aca-awesome voices: Awkapella, billed as a “singing group for people who can’t sing.”

If you want to "meat" new people:

Predictably, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has a large number of clubs devoted to various technology-based endeavors, but only one focused on red meat. Carnivores who want to hone their beef knowledge and preparation skills can join mitBEEF.

If you’ve got a skip in your step:

Participating in The University of Michgan’s A2 Code Blue Jump Rope Club sounds like a great way to get a workout and recapture some of that childhood magic.

Calling all Mulder and Scully worshippers:

Humans who believe we’re not alone are not alone at Carleton College, where members of the Carleton Society of Paranormal and Extraterrestrial Research spend their meetings discussing, identifying, and collecting information about the great beyond.

For footwear fetishists:

If the most important part of your outfit is below the ankle, you’ll be right at home at the Land Shark Kicks Club/Ole Miss Sneaker Association at the University of Mississippi.

Knights unite:

Waiting for the next season of Game of Thrones can feel interminable. Luckily for superfans at Washington University in St. Louis, though, the Belegarth Medieval Combat Society gives students the opportunity to practice full-on medieval combat. No dragons, but that’s probably a good thing…

If you were born in the wrong era:

Since founders of the Barony of Sentinels Keep at University of Montana, Missoula are aware that living in the Middle Ages was no picnic, the club only recreates the “more pleasant aspects” of the era. Anyone looking to find out what it was like to live through the Bubonic Plague should look elsewhere.

For the sculptor who can’t afford to work in marble:

Even if you’re not the most talented member of the Soap Carving Club at the University of Nebraska, at least you’ll always have clean hands.

If you’re the campus moorhead:

Motorcross and dirt bike enthusiasts at The University of Nevada - Las Vegas can join The Rebel MX Club. Doing death-defying stunts on small motorized vehicles definitely sounds like an effective antidote to lecture-induced lethargy.

For the sweet tooth who’s also an aesthete:

At Southern New Hampshire University, bakers and artists come together in the Cake Decorating Club. If you’re simply a fan of eating sweet treats but don’t want to do any of the heavy lifting, consider hanging around their meetings and cross your fingers that they like to share.

Embrace your cheesy side!

The classes at Princeton University are notoriously intense, so it’s understandable that students want to unwind in their free time. The Cheese and Bad Movies Club efficiently combines two guilty pleasures into one fabulous evening.

If your hips don’t lie:

If you’ve got the gift of the groove, joining the Aditi Natesa Bellydance and Drums Club at New Mexico Tech is probably a good move.

If you try to do everything Jack Black does:

Current students at Sarah Lawrence College may not ever understand how ubiquitous the statement “Be Kind Rewind” was in pre-Netflix days, but they can join the Be Kind Rewind Club and recreate famous films like the characters in Michel Gondry’s 2008 film.

For Bacon-eers:

Even if you’re not a fan of bacon in its most common iteration, you’re welcome at the Bacon of the Month Club at UNC, Chapel Hill. Members have the opportunity to sample all kinds of bacon, even if they have special religious or dietary needs.

For serious snoozers:

The Hammock Initiative at the University of North Dakota describes itself as part of a “global chilled-out movement.” Hopefully they have an indoor spot to meet during those brutal North Dakota winters - nobody wants to be that chill.

If you’ve been waiting for an appropriate occasion to bust out that monocle:

Not all college students wander around campus in flip-flops and sweats. The members of Fancy, Always Fancy at Case Western Reserve University devote themselves to studying and living like high-society folks from various cultures and eras. If you’ve been waiting for an appropriate occasion to bust out that monocle, this sounds the club for you.

If you’re full of contra-dictions:

Students at Oklahoma State University who want to party like it’s 1799 will enjoy themselves at A Contra Affair, a group that celebrates the traditional American folk dance.

If you’ve been rocking the athleisure look since before it was a thing:

Olivia Newton-John would be proud to know that her 1981 hit lives on at Reed College. The description for Let’s Get Physical simply reads: “dance party + exercise wear + the 80s.” Enough said.

If you’ve got a little round stud at the top of your head:

Everything is Awesome at Gettysburg College, where the Lego User’s Group uses the colorful blocks to recreate historical events.

If you’re a forest sprite at heart:

Spending too much time inside the classroom can get dreary. At the Rhode Island School of Design, though, the Pigeon Club celebrates biodiversity and the maintenance of urban habitats on the school’s Providence campus.

If you feel more at home on the open road than in the library:

As a member of BajaSAE at Clemson University, you would get to build and race a rugged off-road vehicle. If you’re planning to join, better add “helmet” and “toolkit” to that packing list.

If you spent the summer with your face buried in your phone playing Pokemon Go:

Did you spend this summer with your face buried in your phone playing Pokemon Go? South Dakota State University’s Pokemon Club unites students who are obsessively searching for the closest Pokemon Gym or just want to discuss all things Pikachu.

Calling proponents of pleasure and lovers of laughter:

Proponents of pleasure and lovers of laughter can join the Happiness Club at Vanderbilt University, which is committed to spreading joy across campus and finding ways to help fellow students see their glasses half full.

If you want to turn back time:

The members of the Cher Tweet Appreciation club at University of Texas, Austin focus their fandom on the Twitterverse, where Cher has been known to make bold, pithy statements like “Wu Tang Cher Clan”. #igotyoubabe #princessofpop

For those who feel the Force:

Think you could defeat Kylo Ren in a duel? Then the Lightsaber Club at Utah Valley University is the place for you. Not only do members get to practice with the club’s titular weapon, they also get to participate in monthly tournaments. Hopefully nobody loses a hand.

For those who dress like lumberjacks:

The sport of logrolling was invented by lumberjacks who were trying to move logs downriver. Like most modern rollers, members of Middlebury College’s Log Rolling Club practice in a pool, but that doesn’t make the activity any less challenging.

For metal heads:

The Blacksmithing Club sounds like a great opportunity for prospective welders and forgers at the University of Virginia. The real challenge will be finding a bag in which you can carry both your laptop and your anvil.

If you had trouble deciding between higher education and running away with the circus:

If you had trouble deciding between pursuing higher education and running away with the circus, you can do both at Evergreen College. The school has a club called Circus Resurgence, whose members practice all kinds of circus arts.

Looking for a club that fits you to a “T(ea)”?

Students at Marshall University can travel across the world in an afternoon thanks to the Sado Club, which practices and celebrates the Japanese traditional urasenke tea ceremony.

If your head is always in the clouds:

If your head is always in the clouds, you can try to reach the sky as a member of Badger Ballistics, the model rocketry club at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. There’s no room for sloppiness, though, as the model rockets must be licensed and legal.

If you’re naturally judgmental:

Agriculturally inclined students at Northwest College might be interested in the school’s Livestock Judging program. Word to the wise: limit your judgment - making to animals or risk making a lot of enemies on campus.